He couldn’t remember when he had closed his eyes.
When he slowly opened them, he saw countless stars embedded in the black night sky. Like stardust scattered across black silk, the twinkling lights in various colors caught his gaze.
“Where is this...?”
He had clearly woken up from sleep, but everything still felt heavy and lethargic. His body wouldn't move at will, as if submerged in water. Though momentarily startled, he looked around and finally realized.
Darkness surrounded him on all sides. He thought it was the night sky, but it felt more like he’d been dropped into the middle of space.
“What the hell?”
At this point, he could only admit he was still dreaming.
‘What kind of nonsense dream is this?’
Just as he furrowed his brows in disbelief, a bright yellow light shone from behind.
He turned around to find an enormous tree floating in space like himself, though he had no idea when it had appeared. The tree, astonishingly, was entirely made of golden light—its roots, its richly spreading branches, and its leaves.
Drawn as if hypnotized, he stepped toward the massive golden tree. A contradictory feeling surged inside him: a primal fear at its overwhelming presence, and yet an irresistible desire to examine it up close.
As he approached, piercing through the far-reaching glow, the tree's structure came more clearly into view. What stood out most was the root.
A stream of light, branching out in multiple directions, formed the roots. These roots then connected to the trunk, and that stream of light pierced through the center of the tree, extending past the top and into the far reaches of the universe.
It looked like the tree had been threaded onto a single line of light. He was curious about where that light began, but no matter how far he looked, he couldn’t see the end.
‘It’s fascinating, but...’
He couldn’t make sense of the situation. Why was he having this dream? Why had this tree appeared so suddenly?
He was still pondering while looking up at the tree when a soft voice echoed from somewhere.
“I figured it would turn out like this.”
“...!”
Startled by the presence so close by, he spun toward the voice. A figure stepped out from behind the tree trunk.
“So boring. Your reaction is way too dull.”
The man complained with a faint smile on his lips. He was tall, with long, pale golden hair.
He wore a high-collared robe resembling a changpao, though the intricate embroidery and the gem-adorned ornaments gave off a more Western aesthetic.
What stood out most was the ornate lace blindfold covering the upper half of his face. Yet, he had no trouble pinpointing Seohu’s exact location.
“...Who are you?”
Seohu took a step back at the overwhelmingly cold presence. The man’s aura was so intense, it made his skin sting.
“You’re the first human I’ve met who’s both this fearless and this rude.”
The man muttered something unintelligible, then asked:
“What do you think of this tree?”
His sudden question about the tree made Seohu feel even more uneasy. He didn’t answer and merely scowled, but the man pressed on unfazed.
“Isn’t it beautiful?”
“What the hell kind of question is that?”
“Well, I brought you here to show you the tree.”
“...What?”
“I know you’ve been busy, but it’s about time you came to find me. If we made a deal and you paid a price, you should keep your end of it.”
“...Price?”
The moment he unconsciously echoed the word, a flash of memory surged into his mind.
The day he’d gone to the Circle Guild to join the competition match. The deal and the price he had agreed to.
‘I seriously forgot something this important?’
As soon as realization struck, he recognized the man before him. His appearance was different, but the voice was unmistakable. The one he met in the Guildmaster’s office back then...
“Cha Seohu.”
As Seohu staggered, covering his mouth, the man chuckled and reached out his hand.
“Don’t make me wait any longer.”
With a rustle, his long hair brushed against his robe, and the scent of a deep forest tickled Seohu’s nose. At the same time, the man lightly pressed a finger to Seohu’s forehead.
It seemed like just a gentle push, but Seohu’s body collapsed backward helplessly. As his vision blurred, the radiant tree flickered in his sight.
“Don’t forget what you saw here. I don’t want to bother explaining it again later.”
Those parting words, delivered like a joke, were the last thing he heard before his consciousness vanished.
A hand gently tapped his cheek.
“Ugh...” He groaned, furrowing his brows, only for someone to press his forehead as if to stop him from doing so. The ticklish sensation made him open his eyes—where a small, warm body nestled against him.
“Kiddo.”
“Mmm.”
He didn’t even need to look to know who it was. Calling the child in his sleep-heavy voice, he felt soft hair brush against his chin.
He opened his eyes as he stroked Cha Sahyeon’s head, and a bright white ceiling came into view. He lifted his sore upper body and leaned against the headboard, glancing around.
A clearly upscale single room in a hospital.
‘I figured this would happen once I passed out in front of Kwon Taehyuk.’
At least they hadn’t touched his clothes. Looked like they wiped off the blood too.
Putting sightseeing aside, he turned his gaze to Cha Sahyeon in his arms. The child was curled up on the bed, clinging tightly to his waist, looking completely unharmed.
Knowing Kwon Taehyuk’s personality, he wouldn’t have ignored a child—still, it was surprising how perfectly he had brought Sahyeon to him.
“Kiddo, how’d you get here? Did you meet the Yesung Guildmaster in that alleyway?”
He gently stroked Sahyeon’s cheek as he asked. The girl scowled, clearly wanting to say a lot.
“Annoying person... I was waiting for you with him, and then that annoying person brought you...”
“Huh?”
“You looked really sick... he said we had to go to the hospital quickly, so... I followed.”
So she waited with Kwon Seoyul, then met Kwon Taehyuk carrying his unconscious self, and came to the hospital with them? Apparently, both men were annoying in her book.
Either way, things had turned out okay. He decided he’d ask Kwon Taehyuk for details later and gently lifted Sahyeon to sit her on his thigh.
“You’re not mad? I said I’d be quick, but I was late.”
Sahyeon, hands clasped together and fidgeting, reluctantly replied.
“I was mad... but you looked really sick... so...”
“You didn’t get mad because I looked sick? I’m fine now, so you can be mad.”
“I’m not mad anymore...”
“So you’re forgiving me?”
“Just this once...”
Sahyeon pouted slightly, looking reluctant. It was so cute he couldn’t help but smile.
“You’re so sweet, kiddo.”
As he grinned and pinched her soft, squishy cheek—
The hospital room door opened, and the people he’d been waiting for entered.
“Hunter Cha Seohu, you’re awake.”
“How’s your body feeling?”
Ryu Sunghyun and Kwon Taehyuk walked in together and asked. Seeing them side by side felt oddly surprising.
‘Hasn’t it been that long since I passed out?’
He’d assumed they would’ve left the hospital by now. Ryu had a guild to return to, and Kwon could’ve just sent his secretary.
Pushing aside the unexpected impression, he bowed his head to them first.
“I feel much better. Thank you so much for getting me to the hospital... and for bringing my sister too.”
This was a perfect chance to polish his image. If he played it well, they’d be more willing to help him next time too.
Putting on his best future-preparation smile, he expressed his thanks. Kwon Taehyuk paused for a moment, then sighed.
“No need to thank me. After all, I was the one who received help from Hunter Cha Seohu first.”
Clearing his throat, Kwon continued.
“First off, according to a basic examination, there’s nothing wrong with your body. The blood you vomited before losing consciousness... the doctor believes it was due to temporary energy reversal from excessive skill use.”
“Ah, I see.”
“In the future, please be more cautious when using your skills.”
Unfortunately, none of that had anything to do with him. He hadn’t overused any skills, nor had his energy reversed. He’d simply failed a damn quest.
Letting the pointless explanation go in one ear and out the other, he asked Kwon:
“How long was I unconscious?”
“About nine hours. It’s just past noon now.”
“Nine hours?!”
Now that was genuinely surprising. What the hell had these two been doing for nine hours?
Maybe Kwon stayed as a guardian out of obligation, but Ryu had no reason to. It wasn’t like they were close enough for him to hang around that long out of concern.
Brushing off that idle thought, he asked the second question that had been bugging him.
“What about the guy who was with my sister?”
“He came to the hospital too, but disappeared at some point. Based on the lingering presence, he’s definitely still somewhere in the building.”
If Kwon Seoyul was still in the hospital, there was only one reason: to monitor him.
At least knowing that bastard was still alive eased his mind a bit.
“It’s lunchtime anyway, so I’ll have them bring you food. We can talk more after that. As for your sister...”
Glancing between Seohu and the girl in his arms, Kwon added with a troubled look:
“If it’s alright, would you consider letting her eat downstairs in the cafeteria? She insisted on staying here, so we let her, but it’s already been nine hours. She must be hungry.”
“She didn’t eat?”
For nine hours?! Alarmed, Seohu pinched Sahyeon’s cheek firmly.
“Even if I’m sick, you still have to eat properly. Do you want to make me upset?”
“Uuugh.”
She was stronger than him by rank, so no matter how hard he pinched, she wouldn’t feel it. But Sahyeon exaggerated her pain with a whine anyway.
Cute or not, skipping meals wasn’t something he could let slide. He patted ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) her butt and gently pushed her off the bed.
“Go eat.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Hey, seriously. You want a scolding?”
He put on a mock angry face, and Sahyeon slumped her shoulders. Watching her sulk away, he turned to Kwon Taehyuk with an embarrassed smile.
“Could I ask you a favor?”
“Of course.”
“I don’t want to!”
Before Kwon could move, Sahyeon suddenly butted in and pointed at Ryu Sunghyun.
“I don’t like that guy! I want to eat with him!”
All of them turned to stare at Ryu.
He blinked in shock, clearly never expecting to be chosen by the child.
So was Seohu.
It was the first time Sahyeon had ever voiced her dislike so clearly—or chosen someone on her own like this.
She had always been wary of Kwon Taehyuk, but to declare it out loud like that?
Stammering, Seohu tried to intervene.
“Uh, no, wait, that’s—”
This was not a situation he had anticipated. He couldn’t possibly ask Ryu Sunghyun, who was clearly uncomfortable around him, for something like this.
“If I can’t eat with him, I’m not eating at all.”
“...What?”
Their eyes met.
“....”
“....”
An incredibly awkward silence fell over the room.
‘Goddamn it.’
At this rate, it’d be easier if he just went himself. He began to rise from the bed—only for Ryu to speak first.
“Ah... it’s fine. I’ll take her to the cafeteria. Hunter Cha Seohu, you should rest.”
“Huh? But—”
“I didn’t believe you earlier, and I’ve been relying on your buff skill. This is the least I can do.”
“Ah...”
He finally understood. Ryu probably wanted to relieve some of the guilt he felt.
If that helped put Ryu’s mind at ease, Seohu had no reason to object. When he nodded, Kwon sighed deeply.
“Then I’ll leave your sister with Hunter Ryu Sunghyun and go tell the hospital to bring your meal up. It’ll take about thirty minutes, so please rest in the meantime.”
“Alright.”
As the three of them left the room, peace finally returned.
Seohu leaned back against the bed’s headboard and looked out the window. The clear blue sky and golden sunlight outside made it seem like the Rift incident from last night had never happened.
He’d asked the two to take Sahyeon away because he needed time to sort out his thoughts.
The massive golden tree—and the man he met there.
Whether it was a dream or not, he now had a clear guess about that man’s identity, which he hadn’t realized while inside that strange space.
‘The fake Song Jiwoon.’
The one impersonating Song Jiwoon and occupying the Guildmaster’s seat in Circle Guild.
He should have gone to meet him sooner, but Kwon Seoyul’s surveillance and Kwon Taehyuk’s visit threw off his timing.
[Don’t make me wait any longer.]
He recalled the man’s words from the dream.
Yeah, it really had been too long. That man might be the key to unlocking the secret behind the status window. It was worth forcing a meeting, no matter what.
He was just thinking about how to sneak over to the Circle Guild as Cover—
Click, creeeak.
He heard the doorknob turn and someone enter the room. He figured his food had arrived and turned toward the door—only for his shoulders to tense.
“Hyung.”
“You...”
Kwon Seoyul walked in with a blank expression, raising the corner of his lips in a smile.
The sharp, chilly aura radiating from him made Seohu’s skin crawl with goosebumps.

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